Typically, in the field of computer vision and three-dimensional computer graphics, a three-dimensional object is represented digitally in the form of a polygonal mesh. This mesh is formed from a plurality of planar polygons which are contiguous with each other. Each polygon comprises a plurality of vertices interconnected by edges which delimit one face of the polygon.
Progressive compression methods facilitate transmission of a three-dimensional object from a server of multimedia content to a client terminal on which the object needs to be displayed. In these methods, the mesh is gradually simplified by decimating vertices in order. This reduces the mesh size. The simplified mesh is transmitted to the terminal, where it is displayed. It is then gradually reconstructed on this terminal from incremental data transmitted afterwards until the three-dimensional object such as it was initially prior to the compression is recovered.
Certain three-dimensional objects are textured. This means that the polygons of the mesh have their surface covered by a digital image, known as a “texture.”
Difficulties arise when the object is textured. In such cases, during the progressive displaying of the three-dimensional object in the course of the decompression, these methods can generate graphic artifacts.